Mama and Papa
by Our Midnight's Musings
Summary: After a fight with Boruto leads to Sarada questioning her parent's relationship, Sasuke will answer whatever questions she has for him. Spoilers for Gaiden and Boruto: the movie.
1. Tell Me

"Papa?"

Sasuke looked up from his book to find his daughter standing in front of him. He noticed that she was fidgeting slightly and her cheeks were tinged with a pink blush. Suddenly a faint memory of his wife with the same expression flashed across his eyes. He remembered that it was the kind of face Sakura would make when she wanted to ask him out on a date.

 _"Cute."_ He thought with a hint of a smile.

She pouted, not liking his silence. "Hey, Papa?" Sarada asked once again.

"What is it?" He replied as he gently closed the novel. The young Uchiha averted her eyes, gathering the courage to force the right words out.

"Ah, um, well... can you- "

"Sarada." Sasuke sighed. He was growing impatient.

"... Please tell me about you and Mama!" She blurted out.

He blinked. That... wasn't really what he expected. If anything it was completely random. But the serious look in her black orbs told him that she honestly wanted to know. Did something happen?

"Why are you asking?" He inquired her.

She took a seat at the chair to his right, one of the few pieces of furniture they had in their undecorated living room. After the destruction of their last home, this one was still being broken in. "You see, after practice, Boruto said something really dumb." she muttered angirly.

 **Earlier at Hidden Leaf BBQ**

"Thanks for the Kobe, Pops!" Chouchou cheered as she flipped another piece of meat on the grill. Sarada smiled lightly at her best friend's ever present enthusiasm for food. Because Mizuki suddenly had to cancel having lunch with them, she was afraid of the awkwardness dining alone with Boruto would bring. Thankfully they ran into the InoShikaCho team and joined them.

The old man waved it off. "It's on me today. Enjoy your meal kids! Say hi to your folks for me!" He said as he walked back to the kitchen with a grin.

Almost straightaway, Inojin dropped his head into his hands. "Ugh, why did he have to mention our parents?"

"What's with you?" Boruto asked, disturbed by the other blonde's disgusted tone of voice.

"He saw his parents making out." Shikadai answered nonchalantly.

"That's it?" The Hokage's son made a face. He saw his old man and mom kissing constantly. It was pretty gross but it was also nothing to lose sleep over.

"I told him not to be such a big baby over it." Chouchou intervened. "I think it's kinda cute. Just means they really like each other y'know?" She took another piece of meat of the grill and put it on her plate. Boys were so stupid.

"Shut up Fatso! They were making these noises and their hands were... ugh." The Yamanaka boy blanched. He was gonna throw up if they didn't change the subject soon.

Sarada took a sip of her water. She pitied the poor kid, but the Akimichi girl was right. There was nothing wrong with showing affection towards someone you love. She slowly touched her forehead and smiled. Her Mama and Papa taught her that. "Everyone does it. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Hearing his teammate finally speak on the matter piqued his interest. "What about your parents?"

She looked at Boruto quizzically. "Huh?"

"Have you ever seen them kiss?"

Sarada frowned. "Well, no but I'm sure they have."

The Uzumaki leaned back into his seat. "I can't picture Uncle Sasuke doing _that._ He's too cold." His mentor was a cool guy, but man, he could freeze you to bits with one glare. It was hard to believe he was even married.

"What's your point?" Sarada scowled. She knew better than anyone about her father's icy exterior, but that didn't make him any less human.

"Well, he just got back too right? Twelve years is enough time for people to change. How do you know your parents still even like each other?" Boruto snorted. She was being naïve.

Sarada stood up, now fully angry. "Because I know they do! The fact that I exist is proof of their bond!" It took some time for her to realize it herself, but it was the truth! Time was cruel but her Mama proved that it would not stand in the way of her love for Papa. And even though her father had left them, he did it to protect the village and his family.

The other children looked nervously at each other. It became eerily quiet and the rest of the customers were watching the scene with obvious interest. Who wouldn't? It was an argument between the Hokage's son and the Uchiha heir.

The situation needed to be handled, _now_.

"What the hell is your problem? You're being a jerk!" Chouchou yelled, pointing at Boruto. He was starting to cross the line here. And if anyone knew what a sensitive subject Sarada's dad was, it was her. Sarada was barely getting to know her own father herself. The stupid boy had no right to speak as if had the right idea about the Uchiha family. Especially if it was hurting her best friend!

Boruto flinched. "What are you getting mad at me for?! I was just saying-"

He was cut off when the livid girl had grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pushed her face into his. Her eyes now bleeding red. "Exactly! You were saying things as if you know anything about my Mama and Papa!" she shouted.

He said nothing, the shock of being so close to her Dōjutsu rendering him speechless. He had seen her use it before, but only on enemies and in training with their Sensei. It was scary and captivating at the same time. Like he was being sucked into them.

"Hey, quit it already." Shikadai spoke up. His face was unusually serious as he pushed himself up to stand as well. He wasn't one to insert himself in other people's business, but he would be damned if he let things progress any further. If they wanted to duke it out it would have to be some place civilians wouldn't be in the cross fire.

Sarada stared at the Nara boy, catching the warning glare in his eyes. Sighing, she released Boruto and quickly shut off the Sharingan. Silently, the black haired girl grabbed her pack and made her way towards the exit. She was at her limit. And if she stayed around any longer, Boruto was going to lose his teeth.

 **Now**

Sasuke gazed sadly at his daughter. Although it sheemed she had convinced herself that their family was just as a strong as the other children's, there was still some insecurities lurking in her mind. It was justifiable that she did. Sakura had only told her so much about their relationship for his consideration. There was not much she could tell her without information about the war and his sins slipping out. That was up to him.

But he wasn't so sure that he was ready to let her know yet.

"I, uh, understand if you don't want to answer." Sarada tried to reassure him. However, the disappointment in her eyes was clear. His heart clenched at the sight.

 _"Enough."_ Sasuke thought. His little girl wasn't asking for much. The least he could do was give her some kind of closure.

"I'll tell you."

Sarada perked her head up. "Eh? Really?" she said. Her father nodded. "Oh, okay! Um, how about when you first met Mama!" It was best to start off with something easy.

Sasuke paused. It had been so long ago, but he didn't have any trouble remembering it.

"It was during the first year we started at the Academy."

* * *

 **Hello there! I hoped you enjoyed the beginning of my mini series. I thought it would be cute to see how Sasuke and Sarada talk about Mamakura and share some memories! I don't know how long this will be and I honestly didn't expect to continue the plot. So bare with me!**

 **Also forgive any OOC characters! Especially if its Boruto. I haven't watched the movie fully but so far I saw that he has a tendency to be an arrogant little shit. Lol But if you have any notes for me please PM me or review!**

 **And even if you don't, review anyways! :D**


	2. Like Mother Like Daughter

He was seven years old, almost eight. Itachi had only been a Chunin for a few of months. Going to the academy was tough, but he liked it. The more he learned, the more his mother praised him. The stronger he got, the more his father noticed him. There was much he was ignorant of, but he lived happily nonetheless.

"Now to wrap up today's lesson, I'd like to take a few minutes to talk about your test scores." said Iruka, picking up a large stack of partridge. The majority of the class groaned, knowing what was to occur next. Iruka paid no attention to their whines and continued to distribute their individual papers.

"Some of you did really well." The teacher smiled at Sasuke after handing him his test. He had reason to, the boy scored 96%. "Some of you could have done better." Naruto, Kiba, Chouji, and Shikamaru visibly tensed as Iruka slapped their tests onto their desks. The four obviously failed, and horribly at that.

"Congratulations Sakura. Someone's finally managed to beat Sasuke."

Hearing the mention of his name, he perked his head up to find everyone staring at a girl with pink hair. She was Sakura, he presumed. Had she really gotten a better score than him?

"Now remember class, Genjutsu is a whole different experience in the battlefield. You may not even realize you're in one until it's too late. But I can guarantee that if you keep some of these techniques in mind, it might just save your life. Dismissed."

The class dispersed as each made their way home. Some continued to linger and mingle with the other children. Sasuke himself decided to stay and hide in the courtyard. His brother had promised to pick him up after he finished reporting his mission. They would head towards the Uchiha training grounds first and work on his taijutsu. Hopefully, there would be enough time to practice throwing shuriken before their mother demanded them back for dinner.

"Wow Sakura! I can't believe you beat Sasuke-kun's score! Who knew you were so smart?"

He turned to see the one called "Sakura" standing shyly next to a blonde girl. A flick of irritation surged up in his belly. This was the first time he lost against someone his own age, by a _girl_ no less. He'd doubt Itachi had faced such humiliation ever in his life.

"Y-yeah." The small girl blushed.

"You're so Lucky; I barely passed." Ino groaned. "Well, I gotta go help my mom with the store. Bye bye!" She waved before running off.

"Bye!" Sakura waved back enthusiastically. She began to walk in the opposite direction when suddenly she felt a pebble hit the back of her head.

"Hey Ugly!" Four girls approached her with a menacing smirk on each of their faces. He recognized them as classmates that would often giggle in his presence.

"Don't get so full of yourself just because you got lucky on that test!" The girl with long brown hair spat. She was the leader of the irksome clique, he guessed.

"Yeah! How dare you make Sasuke-kun look bad!" Another girl with red hair added.

Sakura tugged on the hem of her shirt nervously. She was obviously afraid of them. "I-I wasn't-" She was cut short when the third member pushed her. Simultaneously, his leg twitched, but suppressed the urge to intervene.

Damn it. Where in the hell was Itachi?

"Shut up Forehead girl!"

"Ino isn't here to protect you now!" The leader snickered. She grabbed another rock from the ground and aimed it at Sakura. Just as she was about to launch it, a face flashed in front of her.

"Move." He ordered.

"S-Sakuke-kun?" The brown haired girl gasped, immediately dropping the piece of earth.

"You're in the way." Sasuke glanced cooly at the fangirl.

"Oh, s-sorry." They blushed and shifted to the right. The leader glared at her target, not appreciating the star-struck look on her face. "We were just teaching her a lesson," she explained arrogantly.

He rose an eyebrow at this. How stupid were these bullies? "Instead of 'teaching' you should do more learning."

Ignoring the stunned looks he was receiving, he moved towards the exit. Most likely Itachi wouldn't show up so there was no point in sticking around any longer. "If you time to pick on someone smarter than you, you definitely don't have what it takes to be Shinobi." He stopped only to see if the pink one had been smart enough to escape while the fangirls were distracted. Instead, he found her still planted floor, mouth gaping. He groaned internally and decided a more direct approach was necessary. "Let's go."

"Y-yes!" Finally catching his drift, Sakura quickly stood up and ran to follow him.

The began to set, causing bright splashes of orange and yellow to paint the sky. But peaceful colors did nothing to ease the tension in the air. Neither of them had said a word to each other, which he kind of preferred. The last thing he wanted was for her to squeal and latch on to him but she seemed modest enough to understand that. After all, she made sure to walk two steps behind him the whole time.

"Um... thank you." she broke the silence. Her voice was so timid and unsure that he could barely hear it.

"Hn." Truth be told, he didn't know exactly why he saved her. It was just the right thing to do, what anyone should have done had they been in his place. Otherwise, there was really no reason to thank him.

"Sorry."

Now she was apologizing? "For what?"

"About the test results..." She avoided his gaze when he stopped to face her. He could tell that she thought he was actually upset about the damned exam. Sure, he was peeved at first but she hadn't done anything wrong.

"I don't care."

Sakura stared at him as if he had just grew another head. "Eh?"

"It was a fair test. You earned it." He shrugged.

"But I won't lose a second time." Sasuke turned his back to her. "In order to beat that person... I have to be the best."

"That person?" she murmured. He was on the verge of replying to her when a familiar figure caught his eye.

"Yo, Sasuke!" His brother's best friend called as he jogged over to them.

"Shisui? Why are you here?" he asked. The older man usually liked to sleep on his days off, but he was dressed in his exercise attire.

He smiled sadly and rubbed the back of his head. That meant bad news. "Itachi sent me to come get you. He had a last-minute assignment and apologizes for not being able to train you today."

Great, he knew it was too good to be true. Disappointment seeped into his heart but his face remained passive. Now was not the time. "Whatever."

Shisui gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder, knowing his true feelings. Almost immediately, he noticed the little girl behind him. "Oh, who's this? Your girlfriend?"

She turned into a deep shade of red and began to flail her arms around frantically. "N-no! I'm his classmate, Haruno Sakura! Nice to meet you!" Sakura said as bowed multiple times.

The Anbu member chuckled, clearly amused to the fullest extent. "I'm Uchiha Shisui. Nice to meet you too." He grinned and changed his attention back to the other child. "Sorry but we really have to get going if we want to get some training in before dark. Ready, Sasuke?"

The younger Uchiha nodded. At least he still got to spar with someone, despite his brother's absence.

Sakura sensed that this was her queue to leave. "U-um, thanks again for today Sasuke-kun! See you tomorrow!" Then she did the unthinkable. She flashed him a cheerful, and what he reluctantly described as an adorable, smile. After bowing once more in farewell to Shisui, she sprinted off in the direction of her home.

He could not help but feel a bit speechless. "... yeah."

Shisui ruffled his black mane. "Well done, kid. She's really cute. Pink hair is a nice touch too."

"Will you stop?" Sasuke slapped his hand away and stomped on ahead. As soon as they got to training, he'd definitely land a good hit on him.

Catching up to the boy, he noticed a faint tinge of pink of his cheeks. "I can't wait to tell Itachi about this."

"Shut up."

* * *

"That was the first time we spoke to each other. Then, various things changed and we only just became friends after we were assigned to the same team." Sasuke explained. He wouldn't elaborate on the unappealing circumstances that happened afterward.

"I see." Sarada swallowed thickly. This was the first time her father had mentioned any of the previous clan members, including her uncle no less. She wanted to ask him more about them, but it was not the right time.

Instead of dwelling on the subject any further, she glanced over at the Team 7 photo sitting on top of a nearby table. It was hard to believe her mother ever got picked on. Uchiha Sakura was known to be as deadly as she was beautiful. "Mama has always been really pretty hasn't she?" Sarada contemplated.

Sasuke smirked. Pretty was putting it mildly, his wife was a damn vixen. "So are you." The Uchiha Clan always housed the most attractive families.

His darling daughter blushed and readjusted her spectacles. "N-not really. My glasses make me look weird and I'm not as feminine as Mama." It was a bit of sore spot for her, even though she would never admit it out loud. As a child, she remembered staring at her mother as she getting ready for work in pure, green envy. It was one of the reasons she believed that was someone else's child. How could such a gorgeous woman give birth to an incredibly plain girl?

The former avenger frowned deeply and shook his head. He couldn't have disagreed more. "When you were a baby, people often commented on how beautiful you were- are."

 _Sakura dropped a batch of thyme into the basket. Looking over at her husband, she groaned at the sight of him shifting the baby sling on his shoulder for the eighth time. "Sasuke-kun, please stop fussing over Sarada. You'll wake her up." she pleaded._

 _He furrowed his brows. "She sleeps a lot." For the last three hours, she hadn't moved an inch. But her paced breathing and peaceful expression said that nothing was wrong._

 _"She's a baby, that's what they do." She almost giggled at his pouting face. Her little Sarada had the second most powerful man in the Shinobi world wrapped around her pinky. Talk about overprotective._

 _"..."_

 _"Excuse me, do you have any Ginseng?" Sakura waved at the shop owner._

 _The middle-aged woman nodded and pointed to the various crates in the back. "Why yes! There should be a fresh batch over here."_

 _Sakura was about to step forward but paused to turn to Sasuke. Although he looked impassive, his aura practically radiated boredom. Poor thing, they had been shopping for so long, he must have reached his limit. "Darling, why don't you go ahead on to the tea shop? I'll join you when I'm done here." she smiled._

 _He nodded, eager to leave the foul-smelling hut. As a medic, his wife was immune to the stench the herbs provided but he was certainly not. He took the satchel she carried and walked down the road. It took him five minutes to reach a small restaurant with lanterns lined up in front of it._

 _"Welcome!" Was yelled as soon as he walked in. Sasuke sat at one of the empty tables in the corner and laid Sarada down into a makeshift bassinet. Just after he settled himself in, a man in an apron approached him._

 _"What can I get for you sir?" he grinned. The tall civilian was fairly tall with cropped, brown hair. His friendly aura reminded him of Naruto but he had the disciplined posture similar to Kakashi's._

 _Suddenly he missed Konoha._

 _He glanced at the menu before ordering. "Green tea and Udon."_

 _The waiter scribbled on a notepad. "And for your wife?" Sasuke rose an eyebrow._

 _Seeing the suspicious glare he was receiving, he went on. "I know a happily married man when I see one." he explained. The man tilted his head in the direction of a petite woman cleaning a table. "Since I'm one too."_

 _Sasuke resisted the urge to snot. Not quite disagreeing with the man, but that was a bit of a sappy answer._

 _"The baby you have there was a sign too."_

 _Oh, right._

 _Good enough._

 _The raven-haired man cleared his throat and took a quick glance at the menu. "Oolong and Ochazuke rice."_

 _"Coming right up." He chuckled, writing the rest of the order on his notepad. "Name please?"_

 _"Sasuke."_

 _Nodding, the older man gave him one last smile before heading back to the kitchen to prepare his order._

 _Hearing Sarada's soft whines, Sasuke immediately directed his attention back to her. His baby opened her eyes and recognizing her Papa, stretched her tiny arms out to him. A warmth spread to his heart as she grasped his fingers. Hopefully, Sakura was finished with the shopping and on her way here. Now that Sarada was awake, it shouldn't be long before she starts to get hungry._

 _"That's a stunning child you have there, young man."_

 _An elderly lady adorned with several scarves appeared once he looked up. The old crone seemed to mean well, but her tone reeked of mischief. "Thank you."_

 _"I can see she takes after you. You're quite the looker yourself." She peered over his shoulder, scrutinizing the infant. "Oh, yes. Very pretty indeed."_

 _He chose not to reply, hoping to dissuade her from continuing the conversation. Sadly she remained, followed by the company of awkward silence._

 _Irritation filled his body. He was used to being stared at, but his child was a different subject. For whatev_ _er reason this grandmother was watching Sarada like a hawk to its prey, it needed to stop. Was she merely fascinated and just had the habit of being overbearing? Or had she recognized him with ill intentions? Possible reasons emerged into his mind as he thought of every scenario-_

 _"Have you considered an arranged marriage?"_

 _Except that._

 _"What?" he gaped. Marriage? Sarada?!_

 _She shoved a finger into his chest, laughing haughtily. "You would do well to find a match for her now. While the pickings are still good! In fact, I know-"_

 _A tray slammed onto his table and woke him up from his horrified stupor. "Oba-san, are you pushing people into matchmaking sessions again?!" It who the waiter who was hollering at the nosey hag._

 _She waved her hand dismissively. "No, of course not! I was just telling him how nice it would be if your Touya became acquainted with his daughter." The old woman defended. Sasuke almost blanched at this. He did not like her meaning of "acquaintance" one bit._

 _"He just took his first steps last week. Haruko and I have no intention of marrying him off just yet." he sighed. Or at least, not for another eighteen years._

 _"Jiro, you can never start too young." Shaking her head, she gestured to the small girl. "And look! With a face like that, your grandchildren will be legendary!"_

 _Grandchildren?!_

 _"He's a traveler!" The other man insisted. Jiro groaned and proceeded to tend to his customer._ _"I'm sorry. Our village is very small so the old ways are still common here. But we would never force anyone to stick to them."_

 _Sasuke observed as his food was laid out for him._ _"I understand." In fact, had his clan survived, he would have been forced into an arranged marriage himself. He was part of the main family, it was the law. The only way he would have still been able to marry Sakura is she were to prove to be a valuable asset to the Uchiha and his father._

 _He smirked. No doubt Fugaku would approve of the strongest kunoichi who surpassed her mentor, the great Tsunade Senju._

 _"Understand what?" A sweet voice asked._

 _Sakura stared at him quizzically as she planted her bags down. She had arrived just in time to hear her husband abnormally in an agreement with someone outside Team 7. And even that was a rare occurrence in itself._

 _"Oh, you must be Sasuke's wife. I'm Jiro, the owner here." He bowed his head in a manner she returned hurriedly, surprised at his familiarity with her spouse. "And this is Fujiyama-san, the local matchmaker." Jiro motioned to the aged widow._

 _"Matchmaker?" she gasped. They spent twenty minutes away from each other and the wolves descended!_

 _Reading her thoughts, he quickly interjected. "For Sarada. But I declined." Well, not verbally, but he was bound to get an aneurysm thanks to this damned topic._

 _"Yes, but please reconsider. With such attractive genes from both parents, this little girl is bound to catch every man's attention when she comes of age. This is every Nakōdo's dream!" Fujiyama sighed dreamily._

 _Sakura cleared her throat uncomfortably at the match maker's pleas. "Thank you... but we really don't want to decide what our daughter's future will be." They had seen what that had done to the previous Uchiha and it was evil. Their baby deserved to grow freely, not oppressed._

 _This put a crestfallen look onto the old woman but quickly dispersed as soon as it came. "Well, I tried. No hard feelings." She waved at the couple, patted Jiro's arm affectionately, and exited the tea house._

 _Scratching the back of his head, Jiro forged a small smile. "I apologize again for the inconvenience. Why don't I go see if your Ochazuke rice is ready?" Instantly, he was gone._

 _Sakura chuckled and sat across from her lover. "I'm afraid our Sarada is cursed with your popularity Sasuke-kun." She grinned when Sarada cooed at her, happy to see that her Mama had finally joined them._

 _She dare blame this misfortune on him? "Hn. You had quite a few admirers yourself." God only knows how many flies he found swarming around Sakura whenever they thought he wasn't watching._

 _"I guess we really do have something to worry about then." she hummed. She already felt bad for the poor kid that would fall for her daughter._

 _"Also, thank you for ordering for me, darling."_

* * *

"I'm flattered, but you and Mama were wrong. Aside from my friends, none of the boys have even talked to me." Sarada coughed. Although there had been signs, who knew her Papa was so overprotective?

"It's because they are intimidated by you." Sasuke's eyes saddened. While he was gone, Sakura had sent him letters to keep him updated on their child's life. A few of them described the occasional fight Sarada would get into when the other kids had bad mouthed him. It broke his heart to know that she chose to isolate herself from her class with the exception of their friend's offspring. He wanted her to have the happy childhood he never got to fully experience. "Because you are an Uchiha, because of me."

"I don't hate it. Who needs a bunch of stupid boys following me around all the time?" she scoffed. She'd rather focus on becoming Hokage rather than chase after anyone below her level. And despite the minuscule, girly part of her that thought about love, she simply wasn't ready yet. Sarada winced when a certain blonde came to mind.

Absolutely not.

Sasuke bit his lip. He wasn't fully convinced that she wasn't affected by her lonely past, he was relieved to hear she wasn't as boy crazy as her mother. He would be in trouble if-

"Besides, Mama says that if I really do take after her, I'll fall for a bad boy like Papa."

* * *

 **Hello! Sorry for the extremely late update. My hard drive was damaged and I haven't had the opportunity to replace it what with college and all. But whatever time I got, I worked on it from my phone. Thanks for being so patient!**

 **Review please! :)**


	3. Something to Confess

**Hello, everyone! It's been a while, hasn't it? I know you all are probably wondering why I fell off the face of the planet and never updated, but it was mostly due to my busy life. With the additional writer's block of course. Excuses! I know. lol But, I did find it in me to squeeze out this chapter before I started school again. So no promises, but hopefully I can update again during school or maybe even during breaks. Anyways, I hope you'll like this chapter! Don't forget to scroll to the bottom notes to see an important poll for this story!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Papa, are you sure you're okay?" Sarada asked as she handed her father an ice pack. She was met with an awkward silence as Sasuke took the cold press and applied it to his bleeding, bottom lip. Despite the small amount of guilt, the youngest Uchiha was very amused with his reaction to her little joke. It was hard not to laugh. "Papa?"

"Yes?"

"You know I was just kidding right?"

A pause.

"Hn." was his monotone reply. Sarada snickered when her father refused to look her in the eye, muttering something that sounded like giving an apology to her grandpa later.

She returned to her seat, leaning back on soft, white pillows. Taking a moment, Sarada tried to envision a luxurious wedding with flowers, friends, and family. Then she imagined an older version of herself exchanging vows with the faceless, so-called "bad boy" that would send her father to an early grave. But all of it seemed too fictional for her, completely out of her character. "To be honest, I can't really picture myself getting married. Or even falling in love with anyone."

This grabbed Sasuke's attention. "You don't want to?"

Hugging her knees to her chest, she drifted into her thoughts. "I'm not sure. Getting stronger and becoming Hokage is my dream, but I haven't thought about doing much of anything else…" There was no rush, of course, she was barely a teenager. But after finally uncovering her past, maybe it was time to look into her future.

Not to mention, she was, after all, the only heir to the Uchiha Clan. Her parents never mentioned having any more children, so the responsibility of carrying out the family's name fell onto her. It was a legacy that survived wars and massacres. How could she not marry and have children? Could she really hurt her father and not pass on his bloodline?

Nodding. "I understand. I didn't think about those things for most of my life." There was nothing wrong with focusing on your goals. And frankly, he was overjoyed that his daughter was more concerned with utilizing her talents rather than looking for affection from boys. Other than her happiness, that was all he and Sakura wished for as parents.

"But you did fall in love and get married, with Mama." Sarada pointed out.

"...yes, but not without certain _difficulties_."

"That's true. Especially on Mama's part." she sighed. Her mother truly had an unbeatable attitude when it came to love. There was so much she endured just to be with her father, and she only knew of just the tip of the iceberg.

Clearing his throat. "I'm not very proud of the things I've put Sakura through, or you, for that matter." said Sasuke.

"I know." Sarada smiled. He may not have been the best father or husband, but there was nothing she would have changed about her Papa. She loved him.

Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. "Actually, I have never heard the story of how _you_ fell in love with Mama." It was one of the biggest mysteries to everyone in the village. There was no indication that her father cared for her mother more than a friend before his defection, or even after his return. "And from what everyone tells me, Mama's love was unrequited for a long time."

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Well, not exactly unrequited, there were just cer-"

"Yes, yes, certain _difficulties_. But how did you _know_?" His excited child pressed on.

Clearly, Sarada inherited both of her parent's stubbornness. The poor girl never stood a chance. "That's hard to explain," Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "I have always cared for Sakura, even when I didn't want to. But to give an exact moment is a little-"

"Fine." Huffing, the genin thought more about the details of her question. Well, if he couldn't answer that, then she had another idea. "How about the first time you confessed to Mama? That should be easy, right?"

A little shocked, the older Uchiha flushed a light shade of pink and dropped his head into his hand. " _Easy for whom?"_ He internally groaned. There was no way he could tell her about that day.

Maybe he could dissuade her. "Sarada, that story is a little intimate."

"Eh?" she frowned. Intimate? What did he mean by that? Confessing seemed like a simple exchange of words or handing out love letters. Well, that's what the girls did in those romance novels Chocho would read. Things were mostly PG unless it was one of _those_ books, where the "Ikemen" (as Chocho would say) would push the girl against the wall and kiss-

Oh.

"Papa... you're perverted too?" Sarada deadpanned.

"N-no! That's not what I meant!" he exclaimed insistently, cheeks reddening. Geez, what sort of indecent things was Sakura teaching her while he was gone?!

"Then, what's the problem?" She narrowed her eyes at him. Shannaro! If it wasn't like that, then he was making such a big fuss over nothing! "Is it that embarrassing for you?"

Instead of replying, her father merely avoided her gaze. Sarada drummed her fingers on the armrest, pondering whether or not to drop the topic. Obviously, he wasn't too adamant about telling her something so private. But she really wanted to know, not just because she was curious, but because she was jealous. Boruto knew everything about his parents; from the moment they met till they married. Hell, the whole village held Uzumaki Naruto and Hinata's relationship in the highest regard! They were featured in magazines, books, television shows, and they were even offered movies! It was the world's greatest hero and the Hyuuga's beautiful princess, there was no beating that.

Despite understanding her parent's love for each other, sometimes she felt cheated. Team 7 was renowned and respected by many, yet the same couldn't be said for the Uchiha. Growing up, she encountered plenty of civilians gossiping about her mother and father. It all ranged from how they pitied Sarada for being born from a loveless marriage, how her father had probably started another family somewhere during his travels, or how no one would blame her mother for having an affair. It was disgusting, but it was where a lot of her insecurities stemmed from, especially before she met her Papa. And since he's come home, she's seen so many new sides to her parents. The affection that they both displayed towards each other, even if they were just washing the dishes or folding the laundry together, was so genuine.

That's why she so badly wanted to hear how it all began. To gain some kind of insight, to know how everything came together after so much fighting.

And that is why she would make this small sacrifice; she would speak the unspeakable.

"Would it help if I told you an embarrassing story too?"

Hearing this, Sasuke turned to his suddenly shy daughter. Was she trying to negotiate? "Why?" he asked curiously.

Sarada puffed out a breath. "If I tell you about something that happened to Mama and I while you were away, you might be satisfied enough to tell me how you confessed. An eye for an eye, if you will." To emphasize, she tapped the skin under her obsidian orbs.

He wouldn't argue with that. Bemused, the older Uchiha leant into the couch and folded one long leg over the other. "How do you know your mother hasn't already told me this story of your's?"

"Trust me, she hasn't. We both agreed never to tell anyone what happened that day, for a good reason too." Sarada sighed.

Now he was _very_ interested. "Hn. Deal."

She rolled her eyes at this. Well, at least she was getting something out of this damn story. Clearing her throat, Sarada began to weave together her unfortunate tale. "It all started when I got home from the academy."

 _An eleven-year-old Sarada walked into the fairly large house she shared with her mother. After discarding her shoes and book bag by the door, she muttered a quiet "I'm home" before flopping onto the couch. It was a long day. There was a test on the transformation techniques, followed by taijutsu practice, then a boring lecture on poisonous plants. She was so exhausted, she had to drag herself the whole way home._

 _Looking up from the green cushions, Sarada noticed that the house was too quiet. It was still midday, had Mama gone off to her night shift already? She slowly got up and moseyed into the kitchen, expecting to find the answer to her question. There she found a small note taped to the refrigerator. In perfectly neat handwriting, the note read:_

 ** _Sarada,_**

 ** _There was an emergency at the hospital. I didn't have time to prepare anything, but Kakashi-sensei will come by to make sure you eat dinner since Grandma and Grandpa aren't back from their trip yet. He won't be fooled, young lady! Sleep well, I'll be home soon._**

 ** _Love,_**

 ** _Mama_**

 _Damn. Sighing, Sarada flipped the note into the trash bin. How irritating it was, to be babysat at her age! She was very well capable enough of taking care of herself. What was there to worry about? It wasn't like she'd burn the house down if left to her own devices. Cooking was easy enough if they were simple dishes and cleaning was something she considered herself proficient at. As for her protection, the village was the safest place on earth. And if her mother was worried about her leaving the house to gallivant the streets, she didn't know anything about her own daughter._

 _"Whatever," she mumbled grumpily. "Rokudaime-sama can take care of the dishes too then."_

 _Instead of wallowing in her frustration any longer, Sarada decided to relax in the living room and finish her homework early. There was no sense in cursing the inevitable._

 _About an hour later, she heard a knock on the door. With another deep sigh, Sarada closed her newest mystery book and walked over to the doorway. Upon opening it, she found Kakashi holding a large paper bag full of groceries. Takeout was obviously out of the question._

 _He smiled at her and waved his free hand. "Hello, Sarada. I take it your mother told you I was coming?"_

 _Nodding her head, she stepped aside to let him through. "Come in."_

 _"Pardon the intrusion." he chimed while taking off his sandals._

 _Sarada lead him to the kitchen, taking a seat at the small table in the center. She watched as he set the food down and began to wash his hands in the sink. "Did Mama ask you to watch over me again? I thought we both agreed that I should stay home by myself from now on." she huffed_ _indignantly_ _._

 _"On the contrary, I only said that you would be fine on your own, if necessary." Kakashi turned to give her a sly grin. "However, it is not necessary because I am here."_

 _Something told her she was not going to win this argument. "Uncle, you're a very stubborn person."_

 _"So I have been told."_

 _Sarada rolled her eyes at this. "What are you making?" she asked after observing him gather a few vegetables from the parchment bag._

 _"Hm...tomato soup?"_

 _"Ew! Uncle!"_

* * *

 **Cute, right? I find it ironic that Sarada hates tomatoes when it's her Papa's favorite. lol I definitely have some planning to do for the next chapter! But it will be good, and full of SasuSakuSara fluff!**

 **As for your little survey question, I was thinking about adding a guest to our little father-daughter story time. I have a few plots in mind, so all you have to do is tell me who you want to hear from!**

 **Your choices are Naruto, Boruto, or Chocho.**

 **If you have any other ideas for stories or characters you want to throw in, tell me in a review or PM me! However, I will not be putting in Sakura until the last chapter. I have a special plan for her. ;)**

 **As always, thank you for reading, following, favouriting, and most importantly reviewing! See you next time my loves! **


	4. The Truth Part I

_Kakashi laughed at the small girl's clear distaste for the fruit. It was a running joke between him and Naruto to occasionally something that included tomatoes in it to Sarada. It was funny to see Sasuke's own daughter reject one of the few favorite foods that her father enjoyed. "Just kidding. I'm making tonkatsu with your favorite side dishes." He held up a package of meat as proof._

 _"Anything is better than tomato soup," Sarada mumbled. Even instant ramen would serve as a better meal. And most of the time, it was much too salty for her. She mentally gagged at the memory of her attempting to gorge herself with Ichiraku's All You Can Eat Special in order to see why the Hokage was so enamored by the dish._

 _It wasn't her proudest of moments._

 _"That's not true. Tomatoes can be very healthy." Kakashi laughed at her childishness. The little Uchiha prided herself to be so mature for her age, and yet she acted exactly how a normal kid would when confronted with their least favorite meal._

 _Sarada watched with mild interest as he went on to rinsing off the meat and prepping the batter._ _"I eat plenty of other healthy stuff." she insisted._

 _"That's because your mother's a doctor, it's a given." He snorted. During her Genin days, Sakura had an unhealthy habit of dieting in order to keep her slim figure. Then, once she realized that it was counterproductive to her training, she started bulking up with protein. It only got worse as she advanced in her medical career too, with all her new "nutritious recipes" filled with an unappealing mix of herbs, plants, and various animal organs. Shaking off the faint sense of nausea, Kakashi pulled out a thin knife from the island drawer and handed it to the small girl. "Now, take this and start chopping up the vegetables."_

 _"You know," Sarada stared_ _unenthusiastically at the cutlery. "_ _it's not too late to forgo this whole thing and head to the backyard so that you can teach me how to throw a F_ _ū_ _ma Shuriken." They could always get some takeout afterward. No dishes, just a well-deserved lesson to enhance her superior skills._

 _But of course, her Uncle refused to see things her way. He simply shrugged at her offer, not even bothering to look up from the bowl he was currently mixing with a whisk. "Pretend its a Kunai if you start to lose interest."_

 _A couple of hours later, dinner was ready and the table efficiently set thanks to their "teamwork" if you will._

 _The young girl quickly seated herself down, despite her earlier objections, she was actually quite hungry. "Thanks for the food!" she said before reaching for her chopsticks. Although, just as she was about to take a bite of her rice, she felt a familiar and very welcomed energy approaching the house. It was in the same breath that the sound of the door opening and keys jangling appeared._

 _"I'm home!" Sakura announced joyfully before walking into the open kitchen area._

 _Sarada did not waste any time to greet her mother, hopping out of her chair to give her mother a hug. "Mama, you're back early!"_

 _"Welcome home." Kakashi also addressed her warmly before getting up to fetch her a plate. "I take it the hospital is back on its feet?"_

 _"Yes, luckily I was able to get everything back into order without throttling any of the staff." Sakura laughed and pulled up a chair next to her daughter. Dealing with the mix up with their pharmaceutical shipment and a few minor surgeries went smoother than she thought it would. And just in time for dinner too, it seems. Her eyes lit up as she gazed at the main course and side dishes around her. "Smells good."_

 _Her former teacher chuckled as he sat across from her. "Well, not to toot my own horn but I've certainly come a long way from soldier pills and campfire fish."_

 _"Ah, the good ol' days." The pink haired women faked a dreamy sigh. "_ _Yummy!" She squealed after taking a bite of the_ _fried pork cutlet, already moving to pick up another piece._

 _"Mama! Don't eat so fast or you'll choke!_

* * *

The Seventh Hokage sat in his office, surrounded by unfiled paperwork, unsigned bills, and one too many scrolls. If anyone had told him as a kid that this is what he would be doing once he had reached his ultimate goal- well, it wouldn't have made that much of a difference to him, but he would probably not have "believed it". Somewhere along the line, his visualizations for the future had turned into almost completely different reality. Becoming the hero of the world and the most awesome Hokage, beloved by all in Kohona? Check.

But that was really it. He didn't go on badass missions too often and he studied a lot during his 20's instead of fooling around. Not to mention that instead of marrying his childhood crush Haruno Sakura, he married the shy but loving Hyuuga Hinata. Although, in some ways, he always knew that if Sasuke had redeemed himself, his two best friends would end up together eventually.

Not many understood his support of the former traitor. Even after the war, a good portion of the village and his friends did not trust him in the slightest. Always fearing that his unreachable amount of power and only remaining Sharingan eyes would give him the edge he needed, should he ever choose to rebel again. Till this day, people still had a tough time comprehending why they were even together. Hell, apparently even his own son had some suspicion.

Groaning, Naruto recounted the news he had heard from Shikamaru, who had heard from his son about the incident at the restaurant. That idiot, Boruto... he was a good kid but sometimes he could also be selfish and rude to a fault. That brat was gonna get a stern talking to when he got home.

He would personally go to check on poor Sarada and apologize to his friends later. She had heard enough of that crap growing up, just because people couldn't let go of the past.

But that was alright, nobody had to have the same amount of faith in his friend as he did. All he wanted for Sasuke was to have the family and happiness that they were both robbed of as young children. The only way he was ever going to achieve that, was with Sakura.

And of course, he was right.

He chuckled, one could only imagine his excitement when the raven-haired wanderer had admitted his affection for their female teammate.

 _"Thank God! For a minute there I thought that Sai was right about you all along!" Naruto burst out laughing. There in their old spot, deep within the training fields, no one would hear their conversation. Especially not when it had gotten to be this late._

 _Sasuke growled and attempted to punch the annoying blonde right in the face. Sadly, he was pretty sure that his only arm had been dislocated during their fight. He winced and rubbed the throbbing appendage. "Shut up, idiot."_

 _"Hey, I'm just kidding!" Naruto chuckled. Boy, this was certainly not what he expected to happen when the asshole offered to kick his teeth in before he left on his next journey. The pain in his ribs and face were totally worth it! Suddenly, the hero remembered an important piece of information and his face fell into a confused frown. "Wait, aren't you guys already dating though?"_

 _"I'm courting her." He corrected the other man._

 _"Huh?"_

 _"The Uchiha do not necessarily date," Sasuke sighed. Did he have to explain everything to this dope? "The men of the main branch are raised to only seek out one partner in which they intend to marry. Anything else is considered scandalous or fickle." His clan was very cautious of outsiders, so many rules were enforced to make sure that their 'seed' was secured within the community. In addition to the fact their line of duty often resulted in causalities, so it was beneficial to make sure that the bride would be taken care of by her in-laws should such a tragedy befall on her. It was all very traditional._

 _Despite these customs becoming void once his whole clan was murdered, he still preferred this method. It was one of the last things his mother wished for him. He would not sully his name and shame her in death any more than he already has, especially not for a simple release._

 _Naruto let his words sink in for a moment, somewhat understanding. They did say that the Uchiha loved harder than any other clan. It would make sense that they took relationships so serious- WAIT._

 _Did he say marry?!_

 _"You're gonna propose to Sakura-chan?!" The future Hokage screamed as he grabbed his rival's collar, shaking him insistently. "You guys are gonna get hitched?! Spill it, you bastard!"_

 _The former avenger scowled. "I would if you would let me go, dumbass!" A second later he slammed his foot into the gabbing wound in the Uzumaki's stomach. Which resulted in his favor, as the blonde quickly released him to clench the bleeding gash._

 _"OW!" Naruto howelled in pain. Holy hell did that hurt! "Fuck you!" he coughed out._

 _"Hmph," Sasuke grunted in irritation. "serves you right."_

 _"Well excuse me for getting a little excited!" Naruto sneered. However, his anger quickly faded once he remembered the big confession that was just made. A big grin spread across his face, swelling his cheeks up all the more. His best friends, his family, the people he loved most in this world! Married! He couldn't believe it!_ _"So, when are you gonna ask her? Or how? Oh, let me help!" he asked in an almost giddy fashion._

 _The last Uchiha rolled his mismatched eyes at his friend. He was already regretting telling the loud mouth. Now all he needed was for him to go running his trap to Sakura in excitement. "Soon." That was all he could disclose, more or less because that was the only detail he was certain of. Not that she was the type of woman who would not settle for anything less than an all-out romantic scenario. No, even if she had such frivolous fantasies during their youth, she was nowhere as cliche now. If anything she seemed to shine more in his eyes when they were enjoying each other's company in silence. Maybe he should consider bringing her to a secluded scenery for the occasion. Ah, there was too much to plan already, but all of this was meaningless without the answer he needed from Sakura._

 _With that in mind, there was an important subject that had yet to be addressed. It was the main reason for him bringing the dope here. And so, Sasuke took one deep breath before turning to face his best friend. "But there is something I wanted to tell you..."_

* * *

 _ **Sorry for the late update! There's definitely more to come. Enjoy and please review!**_


End file.
